Perfect Tuscan Panzanella

by Brian on August 23rd, 2010 in Cookbook Reviews No Comments

As someone who frequently posts about brownies and ice cream, you might be surprised that I would now write about bread salad. I would not replace my brownies with this, but having panzanella can certainly reduce those latent feelings of sugar guilt.

In fact, I love this salad with its richness of flavors. I usually don’t care for subtle dishes or beverages. I want my mouth to be overwhelmed. This salad does just that. There are lots of ingredients here and that presents you with an opportunity for culinary exploration. You can vary the proportions, drop some of these ingredients, and add others — although this recipe already uses most of the garden already. This is one of those “you can’t fail” recipes you’ll always come back to.

And you have choices on how much you serve each person. It can be a side salad, the perfect accompaniment for some protein in the form of fish, poultry or red meat. Or, you can get out a bigger set of salad spoons, and simply adorn the plates with lots of salad [this recipe suggests a yield of 4 servings which will be big]. It truly is a wonderful meal unto itself.

Perfect Tuscan Panzanella

Yield: Serves 4 generously

Ingredients:

• 4 cups torn pieces of sourdough or rustic peasant bread 1 to 1-½ inches wide
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon drained capers
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onions
• 5 assorted ripe heirloom tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size and shape
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced, fronds reserved
• ½ cup pitted and halved Nicoise olives
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• ¼ cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

In a bowl, toss the bread with the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Spread the bread on a baking sheet and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until slightly crisp. (The pieces should not be a crispy as croutons.) Alternatively, spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and let them dry, uncovered, for about 24 hours.

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, capers, zest, and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, add the extra-virgin olive oil in a stream until well incorporated.

Add the onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, fennel, and olives and toss with the vinaigrette. Adjust the salt and pepper.

Tear the fennel fronds and add them to the bowl along with the basil and bread. Toss to coat. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Divide the salad among 4 plates. Garnish each plate with shaved cheese and serve. If you prefer a moister salad, drizzle with a little more extra-virgin olive oil.

Servings: I’m not sure!

Vanilla Bourbon Ice Cream

by Brian on August 22nd, 2010 in Cookbook Reviews No Comments

Yesterday’s post for Double Chocolate Brownies suggested adding ice cream. Here is what we serve at Cooking by the Book: a rich, bourbon spiked vanilla treat.

This recipe follows the classic technique of carefully making custard. The steps here are well described and take some time — greatness is rarely swift. But I assure you that this ice cream will immediately become a favorite. You really don’t even need a brownie to enjoy it!

Vanilla Bourbon Ice Cream

Yield: 1 quart

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
• 6 large egg yolks
• ⅔ cup vanilla sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 to 4 tablespoons bourbon

 
Preparation:

Combine the cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla seeds and bean in a medium heavy saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat.

Beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl until frothy and lemon colored, about 2 minutes. Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream into the yolks, in a slow, steady stream. Gradually add the egg mixture to the hot cream, along with the bourbon, whisking constantly. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, occasionally, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly against the surface of the mixture to keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.

Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve

Source: Emeril on the TV Food network 2006